The Business of War: Military Enterprise and Military Revolution in Early Modern Europe (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780521514835)

This is a major new approach to the military revolution and the relationship between warfare and the power of the state in early modern Europe. Whereas previous accounts have emphasised the growth of state-run armies during this period, David Parrott argues instead that the delegation of military responsibility to sophisticated and extensive networks of private enterprise reached unprecedented levels. This included not only the hiring of troops but their equipping, the supply of food and munitions, and the financing of their operations. The book reveals the extraordinary prevalence and capability of private networks of commanders, suppliers, merchants and financiers who managed the conduct of war on land and at sea, challenging the traditional assumption that reliance on mercenaries and the private sector results in corrupt and inefficient military force. In so doing, the book provides essential historical context to contemporary debates about the role of the private sector in warfare.

Author: David Parrott
ISBN-10: 0521514835
ISBN-13: 9780521514835
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 03/08/2012
Pages: 448
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.80lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.00d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 01/01/2013